Rate aided target illuminator

ABSTRACT

An illuminator of a moving target including a line of sight with a laser beam boresighted therein, mechanisms for simultaneous rate and attitude angular displacements of the line of sight in azimuth and elevation and a joystick operable for normal directional control of the respective displacements for rate aided tracking illumination of the target.

United States Patent 91 Smith et al.

[ 1 Oct. 16, 1973 RATE AIDED TARGET ILLUMKNATOR Inventors: Arthur A. Smith; Dean E.

Christensen; Billy H. Campbell; Raymond I. Strickland; Bennie F. Lopez; Herbert P. Eckstein; Hart S. Litchfield, all of Huntsville, Ala.

Assignee: A The United States of America as 7 represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC.

Filed: on. 16, 1912 Appl. No.: 298,133

US. Cl 350/289, 350/23, 350/52,

356/138, 350/301, 250/203, 331/94.5 A Int. Cl. G02b 5/08 Field of Search 350/22, 21, 23, 289,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,121 8/1906 Neumayer 350/23 3,039,204 6/1962 Bryan et a1. 350/53 I 3,552,836 1/1971 Oskam 350/289 3,392,261 7/1968 Schollhammer 331/945 A Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Asxistant Examiner-Michael J. Tokar Attorney-Harry M. Saragovitz et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An illuminator of a moving target including a line of sight with a laser beam boresighted therein, mechanisms for simultaneous rate and attitude angular displacements of the line of sight in azimuth and elevation and a joystick operable for normal directional I control of the respective displacements for rate aided tracking illumination of the target.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SHEET 10F 2 PAIENIEDnm 161913 PATENTEDHEI 16 ms 3.765752 v SHEH'ZUFQ FIG.3

1 RATE AIDED TARGET ILLUMINATOR I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This device is for operation by an observer to designate a moving target for destruction by separate homing means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the illuminator being operated by an observer;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the joystick;

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of the illuminator body; and

I FIG. 4 is a view along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An illuminator of a moving target (not shown) includes a body 11 with a turret l3 rotatable in azimuth on a case 15 and with optics including an eyepiece 17, fixed mirrors I9 and 21 with a clove prism 23 therebetween, an object mirror 25 for projecting a line of sight 26 to a target and crosshairs (not shown). A laser source 27 directs a laser beam through mirror 21 for boresighted coincidence with line of sight 26.

Mirror 25 is supported in a frame 29 pivoted in turret 13 about axis 31. A rotatable head 33 of a carriage 35 .is secured to frame 29 by tension members 37 and 39 with tension member 39 engaging pulley 41 in turret 13. Flanges 43 of carriage 35 engage pulleys 45 of case 15 for slidable displacement of carriage 35 and lead screw 47 engages carriage 35 for rotation of mirror 25 in turret 13.

Mirror 25 and turret 13 are rotated by identical wormgear and transmission devices 51 from oppositely disposed radial friction disks 53 rotated by constant speed motor 55. Only the transmission device 51 for vertical rotation of mirror 25 is shown.

Rotation of disk 53 is frictionally transmitted to input shaft 57 by spheres 59 retained in carriage 61 of a rate regulator. Output shaft 63 is rotated by an attitude regulator incuding a carriage 65 secured to output shaft 63 and provided with balls 67 constrained therein for engagement with end 69 of input shaft 57.

The diametrical position of spheres 59 with respect to friction plate 53 to determine the rate of rotation of object mirror 25 is determined by a leadscrew device 71 engaging carriage 61 and rotated by wormgear 73 with pulley 75 thereon.

Wormgear 77 for rotation of output shaft 63 with re spect to input shaft 57 is similarly provided with a pulley 79. Pulleys 75 and 79 are respectively belted to pulleys 81 and 83 simultaneously rotatable about axis 87 ofa pair of normal axes 87 and 89 ofjoystick 85. A pair of pulleys are similarly rotatable about axis 89 to control rotation of turret l3.

Dove prism 23 is geared (not shown) to turret 13 for I rotation at half speed thereof to retain the target image in erect relation with eyepiece 17 as mirror 25 is rotated in azimuth. I

OPERATION Displacement of joystick in either of the normal directions not only changes the rate of rotation of mirror 25 but also proporionately changes the angular relation of the corresponding input and output shafts and consequently the attitude of mirror 25 for rate-aided procedure.

Tracking a target is an iterative operation in which joystick 85 is operated in either or both of the normal directions to center the crosshairs on a target. As the target moves, the joystick is successively operated with decreasing displacements until the crosshairs track the target (remain centered thereon) without further adjustment of the joystick. The laser is then energized to designate the target by continued illumination thereof for destruction by separate homing means.

Experience has demonstrated that the ratio of attitude to rate change by the transmission devices for normal operation of the illuminator should be two seconds. A similar ratio of one second can be successfully operated only by highly skilled observers.

We claim: 1. An illuminator for designation of a moving target comprising:

a body including a case, a turret, optics including an I object mirror for conducting a line of sight with said turret rotatable on said case, and said mirror rotatably disposed in said turret for respective azimuth and elevation angular displacement of the line of sight, and a laser disposed for generating .a.

beam in boresighted relation with the line of sight; and

a mechanism including a constant speed motor with a pair of rotating disks, a pair of devices corresponding thereto for respective azimuth and elevation transmission to said mirror of simultaneous rotational rates and corresponding angular displacements for rate-aided tracking illumination of the target, and a joystick disposed for operation in n0rmal directions for respective control of said transmission devices.

2. An illuminator as in claim 1 with each of said transmission devices including input and output shafts and rate and attitude regulators respectively disposed between said input shafts and said disks and between said input and output shafts, said azimuth and elevation regulators being respectively disposed for simultaneous control thereof by displacement of said joystick in one of the normal directions.

3. An illuminator as in claim 2 with each of said rate transmission devices including a carriage with a sphere therein disposed for frictional engagement to transmit rotation between one of said disks and the corresponding input shaft, a lead screw device in engagement with said carriage disposed for rotation to vary the radius of contact of said sphere with said disk, and a wormgear device disposed for rotation of said leadscrew device and provided with a pulley; and

with each of said attitude regulators provided with a cage secured to said output shaft and balls secured in. said cage for frictional engagement with said input shaft to transmit rotation thereof to said output shaft, and a worm gear device disposed for rotation of said cage and provided with a pulley; and

I Bi 765,752

with a wormgear in engagement with said output shaft for the slidable displacement, said head being secured to said frame for rotation of said object mirror and ro 'tatably disposed in said carriage to permit rotation of I said turret.

5. An illuminator as in claim 4 with said transmission devices disposed to provide a ratio of displacements to rotational rates equal to two seconds for normal operation of the illuminator.

c e a: e e 

1. An illuminator for designation of a moving target comprising: a body including a case, a turret, optics including an object mirror for conducting a line of sight with said turret rotatable on said case, and said mirror rotatably disposed in said turret for respective azimuth and elevation angular displacement of the line of sight, and a laser disposed for generating a beam in boresighted relation with the line of sight; and a mechanism including a constant speed motor with a pair of rotating disks, a pair of devices corresponding thereto for respective azimuth and elevation transmission to said mirror of simultaneous rotational rates and corresponding angular displacements for rate-aided tracking illumination of the target, and a joystick disposed for operation in normal directions for respective control of said transmission devices.
 2. An illuminator as in claim 1 with each of said transmission devices including input and output shafts and rate and attitude regulators respectively disposed between said input shafts and said disks and between said input and output shafts, said azimuth and elevation regulators being respectively disposed for simultaneous control thereof by displacement of said joystick in one of the normal directions.
 3. An illuminator as in claim 2 with each of said rate transmission devices including a carriage with a sphere therein disposed for frictional engagement to transmit rotation between one of said disks and the corresponding input shaft, a lead screw device in engagement with said carriage disposed for rotation to vary the radius of contact of said sphere with said disk, and a wormgear device disposed for rotation of said leadscrew device and provided with a pulley; and with each of said attitude regulators provided with a cage secured to said output shaft and balls secured in said cage for frictional engagement with said input shaft to transmit rotation thereof to said output shaft, and a wormgear device disposed for rotation of said cage and provided with a pulley; and with the pulleys of the respective transmission devices disposed for rotation by said joystick in one of said normal directions for the simultaneous control.
 4. An illuminator as in claim 3 with a frame secured to said mirror and pivoted in said turret for the elevation displacement; a carriage provided with a head and disposed for slidable displacement in said case and a leadscrew device secured to saiD carriage and provided with a wormgear in engagement with said output shaft for the slidable displacement, said head being secured to said frame for rotation of said object mirror and rotatably disposed in said carriage to permit rotation of said turret.
 5. An illuminator as in claim 4 with said transmission devices disposed to provide a ratio of displacements to rotational rates equal to two seconds for normal operation of the illuminator. 